I understand that resident ranchers at Tres Virgenes will take people on a tour to see the mountain sheep in the region. I would really enjoy seeing
this area for many reasons, but the sheep would do. Has anyone been there? How do I arrange for a tour?
Thanks for any help.

The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck ...in an chapter..writes about these mountain sheep that they went inland to hunt for. One of the
local ranchers took them on this hunt. I assumed the area was San Felipe. Just thought I throw that in this conversation. Any sheep in San Felipe area
still?

Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.

There I believe three of four different kinds of sheep in Baja. Fred Jones of Vagabundos del Mar is an expert in this area and many times is invited
to aja for his recommendations. On Carmen Island off Loreto has a large population which has greatly increased. They are now in the process of
transporting the overflow to Mechuda south of Agua Verde; their original homeland. They have hunting expeditions out of Juncalito @ $50,000 a pop.
Hunters trying to fill out their Grand Slam. There is another population of sheep In the Gigantes mts behind Puerto Escondido. Also in middle of baja
across from scorpion bay and southern bahia concepcion. As to San Felipe I think they refer to the mountains adjacent to Huerfanito where is said some
of the federales at times out of boredom go into the hills to shoot some game; including sheep. And lastly in the northern Sierras south of Ensenada
is another population.

In February of 2008 I met some folks at the Loreto airpoart who had just hunted this area. As I recall, the hunter was from North Carolina. Because
the cost of the permit was significant and he wanted to make sure that any ram he shot was of trophy class, he had brought his personal guide from
British Columbia who had extensive sheep hunting experience and was well versed in estimating horn size. The guide explained to me where they found
the rams vs. the ewes and lambs (at what elevataion band on the mountain) relative to the sea, the type of optics which were necessary, the several
days it took to stalk the sheep from when they spotted the sheep, etc. etc.

My understanding is the sheep are Desert Bighorn.

So on the way back north, I decided to drive down the road this thread discusses. I will try to attach some photos of what I saw. According to my
travel notes, I drove the road on March 3, 2008. It is baracaded down by the electrical plant and I was told I could not be down there.

When the winds turn white in Idaho, it\'s my time to visit the banana trees of Baja.

Mcfez, I have seen sheep in the mtns between San Felipe and Gonzaga... right along side the road... looked like they were eating rock...
I didn't see any big curls and haven't see any for 3 or so years.

The hunting ranch is definately for native Bighorn Desert Sheep and is of the same type found in Arizona and parts of New Mexico.
Just up the road from the turnoff to the Tres Virgenes is a two story house on the sharp corner quite aways before you get to San Ignacio coming
from Santa Rosalia. I have a friend who knows this rancher very well and has stayed numerous times with him and one of his remote ranches is home to
a large herd of Desert Bighorns and they could observe them every morning. The ranchers daughter is now the district attorney for Santa Rosalia and
she used to cook for visitors on a wood fire at the ranches.

"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez

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"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D

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"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes

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"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn

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